WA public sector gets $500,000 review

WA's opposition leader has called on a union boss to resign for failing to criticise the state government over public sector cuts and expected job losses, as the premier revealed details of a review aimed at saving $750 million.

Premier Mark McGowan said the $500,000 service priority review, to be completed by October, would examine the operations and culture of the public sector, which could lead to further agency mergers.

New key performance indicators will also be developed and linked to the salaries of directors general and chief executive officers.

"This review is all about creating more collaboration, making sure the government works more effectively, that service delivery is the focus and targeting unnecessary spending," Mr MGowan told reporters on Thursday.

Former New Zealand state services commissioner Iain Rennie will chair the review, backed by former Indigenous Land Corporation chief executive officer Michael Dillon and former University of WA senior deputy vice chancellor Margaret Seares.

Last week, the government announced it would slash departments by 40 per cent, with 41 departments reduced to 25, and instructed directors general to deliver a 20 per cent reduction in the senior executive service.

Mr McGowan is yet to confirm how many jobs will be cut or if there will be a wage freeze.

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Opposition Leader Mike Nahan supported the general review but said the high levels of expenditures were not necessarily in the bureaucracy, rather in frontline services.

He said the premier needed to come clean and admit there would be 3000 job losses.

Dr Nahan also called for the resignation of Community and Public Sector Union branch secretary Toni Walkington for not protecting members.

"Who is she representing, the Labor party or her members?" he said.

"She is saying nothing when the Labor government is making major cuts."

Asked about a possible wage freeze, Dr Nahan replied: "I expect that if the union leaders are worth their salt that if the government puts a wage freeze on they go on strike because that's what they would have done to us."

Ms Walkington said she gave "very little credence" to Dr Nahan's comments about her.

"He failed while being treasurer to ensure that this state stayed in in a buoyant economic circumstances. He's left a set of financial books that are in tatters. He imposed arbitrary cuts," she said.

Ms Walkington believes the review will find government services are efficient and says pay freezes are unacceptable.